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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. key — in music
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — hurry
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. wax — to grow
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. key — the most important part
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — a signal
  14. kick — in football
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. rock — music
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. cue — for pool
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. key — for a lock
  23. rock — a stone
  24. arm — part of the body

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com